Wales are one of the great, storied names of rugby league. Though their exploits might not have reached to Australia at times – and when they did, they were wrapped up as Great Britain – the players that moved north from the Valleys stand with just about any in the history of rugby league in the Northern Hemisphere.
Clive Sullivan. Billy Boston. Gus Risman. Dave Watkin. Kel Coslett. Mike Nicholas. Jim Sullivan. If you don’t know who these blokes are, then congratulations, you’ve just earned yourself a solid evening on the internet of enjoyment as you look them up.
Welsh rugby league was once right up there. When Great Britain last won the World Cup, in 1972, it was a Welshman – the aforementioned Clive Sullivan – who scored a wonderful try in the final.
Even as recently as 2000, they gave the Australians a real shake in the semi-final, with scheming modern greats Iestyn Harris, Kieron Cunningham and Lee Briers to the fore.
That talent, unfortunately, is not quite what it was. Their midseason defeat to France saw just one Super League player take part, and while that will increase come the World Cup, this is still a team based on lower league talent plus a few others.
Bradman Best and Tyson Frizell were thought to be chances, but instead, this will be a team without any NRL players at all.
They do have John Kear, as wily an old fox of a coach as they get, but also have a group with Tonga and PNG, who will surely be too strong, and the Cook Islands. Kear has targetted their meeting in Leigh as a chance for Wales’ first World Cup win since that fairytale run in 2000.
Let’s get to the Super League talent first. Rhys Williams is the captain and will start on a wing, but Gil Dudson got himself suspended late in the Super League season and will miss out entirely.
Aussie fans will be familiar with Caleb Aekins, once of the Panthers and now of Leigh, who still start at fullback and Bailey Antrobus, once of the Dragons, in too.
Josh Ralph, playing NSW Cup with Mounties, goes from State Cup, along with two from the Brisbane comp, James Olds and brother Ollie Olds, both of Valleys Diehards.
The list of English lower league talent is extensive. Kear was coach at Bradford and signed a lot of Welsh talent, so they will provide Chester Butler, Elliot Kear, Ant Walker and the Evans brothers, Rhys and Ben.
Luis Roberts, a massive winger/centre at Widnes, will be in, as will Matty Fozard who will wear the 14. Mike Butt from Swinton will be a backline option while Gavin Bennion of Rochdale Hornets adds bulk to the pack.
The Cumbrian contingent will include Will Evans and Curtis Davies of Whitehaven, Connor Davies of Workington and Tom Hopkins of Barrow.
Dalton Grant, who might have opted for Jamaica, instead goes for Wales given the Jamaicans’ strength in wingers. Dual code winger Kyle Evans, once of Llanelli Scarlets in union, Joe Burke of West Wales Raiders, Dan Fleming of Featherstone and Rhodri Lloyd of Swinton round out the squad.
Wales Squad
1 Caleb Aekins
2 Elliot Kear
3 Dan Fleming
4 Rhys Evans
5 Rhys Williams
6 James Olds
7 Josh Ralph
8 Joe Burke
9 Curtis Davies
10 Gavin Bennion
11 Chester Butler
12 Bailey Antrobus
13 Ben Evans
14 Matty Fozard
15 Tom Hopkins
16 Rhodri Lloyd
17 Ant Walker
18 Ollie Olds
19 Dan Fleming
20 Kyle Evans
21 Luis Roberts
22 Dalton Grant
23 Will Evans
24 Mike Butt
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